A Field Below
by Chaos in Time RP
Summary: In a world where not everything is as it seems, The once level headed and perky Susan Foreman suffers from a regeneration gone horribly wrong. The self destructive and volatile time lady is a ticking time bomb.
1. Chapter 1

**_Susan Foreman:_**

Susan Foreman wasn't what one would call "social." On the contrary, she was quite content to live her life without anyone beside her, if only because she recognized that her mental state was decreasing rather rapidly. Her food had begun to take shapes, her Chinese waiter's face had melted, and there was a buzzing in her ear and, when she scratched at it, hornets stung her fingers. But there were no stingers in her fingers, because there were no hornets, and her waiter's face was perfectly normal except for the rather puzzled expression at her rather alarmed one, and her food was perfectly normal… at least, as far as Chinese went.

**"Ma'am, we can call a cab for you…"**

She looked up at him, blinking rapidly. His face was still slightly deformed, but it was returning to normal quickly. "No, I'm fine," she said, taking the last gulp of her drink. The carbonation burned at her throat, but it wasn't entirely unpleasant. "I've just a tough day," she answered, pushing the money towards the waiter. He took it from her cautiously, checking if it was real before putting it in the billfold. It was a lie about her day, but she lied about a lot of things.

**"Are you sure you can make it out of here?"** the waiter asked, and Susan heard a silent _without getting run over outside our restaurant_ tagged at the end. He opened his mouth to say more, but Susan stared up at him, her dark blue eyes beginning to lighten. He swallowed back down the words and nodded, handing her the fortune cookie and getting the hell out of dodge.

Trembling fingers went towards the package and she cracked it open. She pulled the slip of paper from the confines of the disgusting shell.

_"Your life will get more and more exciting."_

"Gee, let me just contain my enthusiasm," she said darkly, leaving the fortune cookie on the table as she stumbled out of the restaurant. The ground kept shifting and moving and she was certain that the cracks in the sidewalks were leaking with blood. She covered her ears, unsure if the deafening loud sound was coming from the regular hustle and bustle of London, or if it was the voices again.

Except they weren't voices, they were memories. The screams, the Daleks, the Master's evil laugh, the Jinn screeching at her, and her life falling apart. She didn't mind so much that she was going crazy, but she wished she could do it without losing her mind. People were beginning to notice. It wasn't a bad attitude plaguing the woman; it was her overwhelming loss of sanity.

"Just shut up!" she snapped, pressing her hands over her ears as she hurried down the sidewalk to get away from the blood beginning to stain her feet. She broke out into a run, ignoring the people asking if she was okay, or the cars screeching to a halt and slamming on their horns, or anything. She finally came to a stop in the park and curled up next to a tree.

She shut her eyes tightly and her fingers closed over her ears, pulling several strands of hair out roughly. "Just shut up, _just shut up_,"

**_Raya:_**

Raya was wandering around in the form of a long haired brown-grey tabby cat. Mainly as quick, easy way for her to avoid the usual gangs out there. Also, a way to get a break from her detective, she may adore the man, but she really needed to get outside every so often.

She was stepping lightly around in the bushes, playing with a rather unlucky field mouse. Letting it go after she had her fun, and walked around the large park. Things always seemed so different when she was in another form than normal.

Suddenly Raya's ears perked, hearing the sound of a woman crying out. Her instincts instantly telling her to check out the noise.

Following the sound, she cautiously stepped out of the bushes. Staring at the curled up woman, before sitting down about four feet from the poor girl. Her tail swishing against the grass as it moves from side to side.

**_Susan Foreman:_**

The ground was shaking tremendously. Except it wasn't, and Susan _knew_ that it couldn't be, or she'd hear a lot more screaming. She bit her knee to choke back a sob. She had never cared before that she wasn't exactly… _all there_, except she had but she could live, but now it was different. It was controlling her – the faces of her Asian waiters, the food on her plate flopping about and imitating worms, and… and she couldn't remember where she was. Somewhere with trees and the ground was a violent green and it was shaking.

Susan curled up tighter, digging her claws into the ground. What little food she had managed to shove down was threatening to come back. _Just stop! Just go away!_ she thought frantically, looking up finally. A cat stared at her. "Just shut up," she snapped. The cat's face seemed to widen and spread, splitting apart and Susan could see its heart. Her eyes widened at the creature, terrified by what others would consider 'cute'. She looked back down. "Just go away. You can be happy now, I'm dying!"

Sure, maybe she was hallucinating a cat, and maybe she was suffering from a psychotic breakdown, and maybe she was going to die very soon. But that was all fine, because she couldn't regenerate. (Except she wasn't so sure now if it was a 'couldn't' or a 'wouldn't'). And she wished, oh how she wished that death had happened sooner. That she had died as soon as the Doctor left her. She wouldn't have worried about David and her son couldn't have died because she hadn't been _born_…

"My _head_," she snapped, pressing it against the dirt. "Maybe an elephant will come and step on it," Susan giggled.

**_Raya:_**

Raya laid down, rolling over to follow the girl's actions. Something was trouble this woman, but she wasn't sure what. What she did understand was that the girl was suicidal.

Raya decided it was her duty not to leave the poor woman alone. After all, she needed help, even if she didn't want it. She could at least stay with her until she got better.

Raya tried not to do anything that would possibly upset the girl further. But she did mew quietly, as if trying to tell her that it was going to be alright.

**_Susan_****_Foreman:_**

This hallucination was rather persistent. Normally once she slammed her head against something, her clarity was returned to her for a moment or two. She made sure not to hit herself where there would be noticeable bruises. The last thing she needed in the last few stages of her death was attention. So, she tried to be normal when she left her apartment. She checked the mail although she knew it was empty, she went out to eat although she hated food, and sometimes she went to Totter's Lane to stare blankly at where the TARDIS once was. It never worked.

Everyone knew something was strange about the dark-haired young woman who lived with herself. Her neighbors could hear screaming, dishes breaking, and things being thrown. At first they suspected she was being abused by a boyfriend or a husband, because they never thought she was being abused by herself. After the blank stares and the 'you should just leave him, honey' conversations, Susan told them very bluntly that her husband had been murdered some time ago. There were no more conversations but plenty more blank stares after it. She continued hiding under her bed and screaming as she felt time.

"Just leave me alone!" she repeated, glaring up at the cat. The cat meowed, having rolled over. Susan's lips twitched into a snarl and she leapt to her feet angrily. The world spun precariously beneath her, but she caught herself and took off in the general direction of her apartment. "Alone alone alone alone alone!" she snapped, stumbling over her own feet but she continued to hurry away from the stupid damnable cat.

**_Raya:_**

**_"Just leave me alone!"_**_ she repeated, glaring up at the cat. The cat meowed, having rolled over. Susan's lips twitched into a snarl and she leapt to her feet angrily. The world spun precariously beneath her, but she caught herself and took off in the general direction of her apartment. __**"Alone alone alone alone alone!"**__ she snapped, stumbling over her own feet but she continued to hurry away from the stupid damnable cat._

Raya quickly scrambled to her stomach, her tail flicking back and forth. This lady needed help, and Raya would've been very happy to help out. Only if the lady hadn't started running off. Well more like tried to run off, she was stumbling over her own feet.

Now Raya was forced into a choice, she could follow the poor woman. And try to help her out while she was in cat form, or she could go home, and deal with a certain detective telling her off for the mall incident.

She went with the first option.

Carefully, she followed the woman, deciding to try a different kind of cat. Since she seemed afraid of her current version. Perhaps if she tried a Russian Blue, maybe that might be less frightening, to her.

**_Susan Foreman:_**

Susan's head was throbbing. The world was teetering around her, making her stumble and wobble as she tried to find the ground. Her chest tightened, her hearts sped, and she clutched at her chest, her breath coming out in gasps as she tried to hold off on death. She was dying. And it was about time, she figured, except now she wasn't so sure she wanted to die. She continued running away from the cat. It was a stubborn hallucination, she'd give it that much. No matter how many times she shut her eyes and screamed and covered her ears, it was still there.

She covered her mouth, muffling a sob as she looked behind her. The cat seemed to expand and changed, and she thought she saw it melting. She shut her eyes again, stumbling as a car nearly hit her. When Susan looked back again, the cat was a different one. Almost a blue, but it wasn't blue, not quite. "Stop!" she screamed, wheeling around and glaring at the cat. A power line above her snapped and shot out energy as it fell to the ground. She clenched her fists, fire hydrants bursting and the car alarms screeching.

"Stop following me!" Susan bared her teeth at the cat – a hallucination it had to be a hallucination it couldn't be real – and people were beginning to stare at her because they knew, they knew because they had been sent for her. The power lines on the ground leapt forward, and Susan likened it to a snake, the way the humans stepped back as it lunged towards the crowd, to the puddle. "Just stop it. Just _stop it_," she snapped as the line fell in the puddle, crackling hideously.

Susan turned on heels and ran in the general direction of her apartment. She nearly hit a few more cars – getting scraped in the back by one of the mirrors on one of them – but she continued on her teetering journey to 'safety'. But what was waiting for her there? If those people in the streets knew, if the cat knew, if the ground knew, if the air knew, if the sky knew, if she knew, if the waiter with the melting face knew, then who knew who else knew? Time knew.

_Timeknewanditwouldn'tstopitwouldn'tstopwouldn'tst_

Her hands and knees scraped the pavement as she fell near an alley. She retched, the bile golden and black. Susan coughed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She pulled her knees tightly against her chest, her fingers digging at her scalp. "I never wanted to be like this," she whispered against her legs. "Shut up, Susan! I don't _care_ what you want," she growled to herself, her shoulders twitching as her teeth dug into her knees.

"Arkytior," she whispered again. Her eyes flashed the pale blue-white again and she growled and bit her leg, pulling back harshly. A small chunk of her flesh came off between her teeth, her blood dripping from her mouth. "Shut _up_," she told herself, clawing her fingers down, leaving bright red trails of blood. The piece of her flesh fell from her mouth and she stared at it, disgusted.

_shewasdyingandshedidntwanto_

"I need help," she admitted hoarsely, ashamed.


	2. Chapter 2

**_Ace:_**

Life had returned to being relatively normal for Ace lately since the whole craziness with the Djinn, Ace still didn't understand how the heck the group she'd been with had managed to get out of that one, just lucky she guessed.

She weight tested a knife, balancing it on the back of her hand before slowly spinning it till she griped it in the palm of her hand "I'll tak," she gasp dropping the knife, time stopped for her, well it slowed way the hell down at least. It felt, for a moment, like she'd gone back down to one heart for a second before the second one started to beat again slowly at first beating once, twice before racing back to full speed and feeling like her hearts where going to burst out of her chest, softly "Susan."

What seemed like several minutes to Ace had only been a few seconds in real time. She noticed the guy behind the counter was staring at her like she was a proper nutter and the knife had impaled his floor "So you gonna buy that knife or where you just planning on stabbing my floor." Ace recovered quickly "Sorry, hearts err I mean heart palpitations." reaching into her pants pocket she pulled out some money for the knife and handed it to the guy. Shrugging she pulled the knife out of the floor and strapped it to her belt "Sorry about the floor."

Ace hurried out of the store, stumbling as she did so the world slowly down before speeding up again "Ok, this is getting ridiculous." Ace made a fist and thumped her chest a little, she started to follow the feeling in her chest.

Honestly, Ace had no idea what the hell she was doing she just knew if she went one way the feeling lessened if she went another it intensified so she figured follow the feeling as it lessened. It lead her to an alleyway and she stopped at the entrance, she thought she heard someone say something _"I need help,"_. Cautiously she slowly made her way into the alleyway "Excuse me, are you ok?"

**_Raya:_**

Raya tried to warn the woman about the car. But sadly "Watch Out Car!" In cat is a lot of mewing.

Luckily, the car barely missed her. Which made Raya feel so much more relieved. Though it might help if the poor woman would stop shouting at her. She was only trying to help the poor lady.

Suddenly, a power line snapped, fire hydrants exploded, and the parked cars were going off like an large earthquake happened.

Raya jumped as she saw the power line spark ferociously. Something was really off about this whole thing.

**_"Stop following me!"_**_ Susan bared her teeth at the cat – a hallucination it had to be a hallucination it couldn't be real – and people were beginning to stare at her because they knew, they knew because they had been sent for her. The power lines on the ground leapt forward, and Susan likened it to a snake, the way the humans stepped back as it lunged towards the crowd, to the puddle. __**"Just stop it. Just stop it,"**__ she snapped as the line fell in the puddle, crackling hideously._

Raya's tail twitched, as she watched the lady run away, quickly following after her. There was no way she was going to leave her alone. At least not the way she was at the moment.

She followed the seemingly crazy lady, into the alley. Stopping a few feet away from her. Waiting for the woman to allow her to come closer.

_Her hands and knees scraped the pavement as she fell near an alley. She retched, the bile golden and black. Susan coughed, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She pulled her knees tightly against her chest, her fingers digging at her scalp. __**"I never wanted to be like this,"**__ she whispered against her legs. __**"Shut up, Susan! I don't care what you want,"**__ she growled to herself, her shoulders twitching as her teeth dug into her knees._

Raya couldn't help but feel sorry for Susan. She looked like she had been through so much, lost everything most dear to her.

**_"Arkytior,"_**_ she whispered again. Her eyes flashed the pale blue-white again and she growled and bit her leg, pulling back harshly. A small chunk of her flesh came off between her teeth, her blood dripping from her mouth. __**"Shut up,"**__ she told herself, clawing her fingers down, leaving bright red trails of blood. The piece of her flesh fell from her mouth and she stared at it, disgusted._

Raya wasn't sure what to do, this lady, Susan or Arkytior, just bit a part of her skin off. That's something you don't really see people do to themselves. Then she heard it.

**_"I need help,"_**_ she admitted hoarsely, ashamed._

That's all Raya needed to hear, and she walked up to Susan. Laying down by her, looking up at the poor woman. Trying to tell her that she was here to help as best she could. Then she heard a new voice, which made her look towards the new lady.

**_"Excuse me, are you ok?"_**

Raya mewed slowly at this new lady, again... She really should stop trying to answer people when she was in her morph form.

**_Susan Foreman:_**

The blood tasted awful. Not that Susan had expected for the blood to taste like roses or chocolate, but she certainly hadn't thought it'd taste so… _rotten_. She spit it out, retching again. The flesh from her torn leg lay in a pool of her blood, but the blood wasn't red it was black and it was moving and slithering. She shut her eyes, a sob hiccupping its way out of her mouth. When the eyes opened – blue instead of the white-blue – the blood was just blood, red and warm and irony and sticky.

She looked down at the chunk taken from her leg, and then to the cat beside her. She reached out a bloody hand gingerly. "I had a cat, I think," she whispered, voice cracking. Her fingers nearly dug into the cat, her eyes becoming pale again. She blinked rapidly again and brought her hand to her chest. "I don't remember… I don't know…" She pulled her legs up to her chest, whimpering again. It was getting harder and harder to hold a steady train of thought.

**_"Excuse me, are you okay?"_**

Susan's shoulders stopped shaking. "Look what we have here," she snarled, her eyes the pale white-blue again. She looked up, a smile twisted on her face and the blood caked around her mouth. "_Ace of Spades Ace of Spades Ace of Spades!_" she shouted, jumping up entirely too quickly. The world swam before her and Ace's face began to twist and snarl and melt.

She looked away, shutting her eyes tightly. "Stop, Arkytior! Shut up!"

**_Ace:_**

_"Look what we have here,"_ Damn it, she hated it when she was right, sometimes. Ace had thought, well more hopped that the whole thing with her hearts had been a fluke but now she was starting to think that this whole Susan thing was going to be a permanent part of her life from now on. _"Ace of Spades Ace of Spades Ace of Spades!"_ Ace rolled her eyes and started to say something back but stopped.

Susan seemed, even more nutty then usual and that worried Ace slightly. Then she saw the blood and Susan stumble, any hard feelings Ace had towards the woman went right out the window when she realized something was seriously wrong.

Moving over to Susan, Ace side stepped the cat nodding to it in acknowledgement "Fluffy." she'd deal with it in a minute. Gingerly, Ace reached forward and held Susan by the forearm, not tight enough to hurt the woman but sturdy enough so she'd know she was there "Easy, Susan."

**_Raya:_**

_She looked down at the chunk taken from her leg, and then to the cat beside her. She reached out a bloody hand gingerly. __**"I had a cat, I think,"**__ she whispered, voice cracking. Her fingers nearly dug into the cat, her eyes becoming pale again. She blinked rapidly again and brought her hand to her chest. __**"I don't remember… I don't know…"**__ She pulled her legs up to her chest, whimpering again. It was getting harder and harder to hold a steady train of thought._

Raya purred softly as Susan reached out her hand towards her. She wanted to help, anyway she could. Even if that meant being passive as her fingers almost pressed into Raya's skin.

She watched as Susan retracted her hand, noticing how her eyes seemed to change color in time with her actions. The hardest thing was hearing the whimpers and sobs.

Then she noticed how she answered the new lady's question.

_Susan's shoulders stopped shaking. __**"Look what we have here,"**__ she snarled, her eyes the pale white-blue again. She looked up, a smile twisted on her face and the blood caked around her mouth. __**"Ace of Spades Ace of Spades Ace of Spades!"**__ she shouted, jumping up entirely too quickly. The world swam before her and Ace's face began to twist and snarl and melt._

Raya stood up as soon as Susan did, worried that she might hurt herself again.

_She looked away, shutting her eyes tightly. __**"Stop, Arkytior! Shut up!"**_

Raya looked up at the lady Susan called 'Ace of Spades.' Mewing at her for help.

_Moving over to Susan, Ace side stepped the cat nodding to it in acknowledgement __**"Fluffy."**__ she'd deal with it in a minute. Gingerly, Ace reached forward and held Susan by the forearm, not tight enough to hurt the woman but sturdy enough so she'd know she was there __**"Easy, Susan."**_

Nodding back as she watched her hold Susan steady. Raya would've helped... Only, she didn't was a ticket for public indecency. So she stuck to closely following them.

**_Susan Foreman:_**

Out of the all the people in space and time, why did Ace of Spades have to be the one that found her? It could be worse. She could have gotten the Joy Toy, or even her grandfather. She felt a wave of nausea hit of her. Ace was saturated with energy from the vortex. Susan clenched her eyes shut again, wrapping her arms around her stomach, feeling the bile rise in her throat again. Ace of Spades Ace of Spades Ace of Spades! her mind shrieked, Arkytior shrieked at her. Susan's hands moved from her stomach to her ears as she stumbled forwards, the world pitching around her.

**_"Easy, Susan,"_** Ace said gently, grabbing her arm. Susan stared at the woman and looked away, embarrassed by how helpless she was. Her eyes were pink from crying, and the skin was dark under her eyes from lack of sleep. Easy, Susan. She stumbled closer to Ace, another whimper coming from her lips. She was scared, she was more than scared, and… and she was dying…

Her eyes flashed, and she opened her mouth, her eyes locked on the woman's neck. Susan put a hand over her own mouth. Arkytior hissed, wanting to tear into Ace's neck. Susan kept her hand clamped over her own mouth, the teeth digging into the flesh of her palm. Blood leaked down her chin and dribbled down her neck and into shirt.

"Stop! I don't want this," she whispered. "I don't _care_," she muttered, raising her bloody hand to her ear. Pale white-blue eyes stared at Ace, bloody teeth bared. "I don't _care_ what you want," she continued, and casted her gaze down to the cat. _"Ace of Spades Ace of Spades Ace of Spades!"_ she shrieked, slamming herself into a wall and crumpling to the dirty ground. "Ace of Spades, Ace of Spades, Ace of Spades," she snarled.

**_Easy, Susan._**

She looked up at Ace, teary eyes wide and terrified. "I don't want to die, Ace." She reached out a hand to the cat, her hand resting on her neck. She felt an urge to squeeze, to snap the fragile neck, but her trembling hand moved, picking her up under the arms and holding the cat to her chest. "I don't know what's real anymore…and I'm scared…" she admitted bitterly.

_And there was nothing they could do,_ Arkytior whispered. _Because we shouldn't exist._

**_Ace:_**

Ace watched as Susan stumbled making sure to keep a hold on her so the woman didn't hurt herself more, she saw Susans eyes flash and her bite into her hand and the blood leak down onto the shir _"I don't care what you want,"_ softly "But, I don't **_want_** anything, Susan."

And then Susan started saying her favorite nickname for Ace over and over before slamming herself into the wall and falling to the ground _"Ace of Spades, Ace of Spades, Ace of Spades,"_ she snarled. Ace knelt down in front of Susan and next to the little cat that had been following them and placed her hand on Susans shoulder trying to comfort the woman in any way she could because honestly Ace had no idea what to do or how to help.

Ace watched as Susan picked the cat up and put it to her chest, she took her hand off Susans shoulder and used her index finger to run her finger from the top of the wet part of the cats nose to the spot between its ears, there was something not so cat like about the little fur ball but Ace wasn't so sure about it yet.

Looking up at Susan again when she started talking _"I don't know what's real anymore…and I'm scared…"_ Ace reached forward and took one of Susans hand and placed it on her chest so she could fell Aces hearts beat "I'm real," she took her hand off her chest and placed it back on the cat so she could feel the animals fur "He, no wait she's real, focus on that. I won't be going anywhere till we get you squared away." Though, how they'd pull that off she was still working on.

Raya:

**_"Stop! I don't want this,"_**_ she whispered. __**"I don't care,"**__ she muttered, raising her bloody hand to her ear. Pale white-blue eyes stared at Ace, bloody teeth bared. __**"I don't care what you want,"**__ she continued, and casted her gaze down to the cat._  
_  
"But, I don't want anything, Susan."_

_**"Ace of Spades Ace of Spades Ace of Spades!"**__ she shrieked, slamming herself into a wall and crumpling to the dirty ground. __**"Ace of Spades, Ace of Spades, Ace of Spades,"**__ she snarled._

Raya mewed up at Susan, trying to tell her to calm down. Moving closer to the poor woman, wanting to comfort her somehow.

_She looked up at Ace, teary eyes wide and terrified. __**"I don't want to die, Ace."**__ She reached out a hand to the cat, her hand resting on her neck. She felt an urge to squeeze, to snap the fragile neck, but her trembling hand moved, picking her up under the arms and holding the cat to her chest. __**"I don't know what's real anymore…and I'm scared…"**__ she admitted bitterly.  
_  
Raya purred as Susan reached out and picked her up. She nuzzled her head to Susan's chin, as if trying to comfort her. Feeling Ace's finger on her nose moving towards her ear, made Raya lean her head slightly.

_"I'm real," she took her hand off her chest and placed it back on the cat so she could feel the animals fur "He,"  
_  
Raya mewed in protest to being called a 'he.'

_"no wait she's real, focus on that. I won't be going anywhere till we get you squared away." Though, how they'd pull that off she was still working on._

Raya fidgeted slightly in Susan's arms. She could only tolerate being held in short periods of time. However, that didn't mean she was going to run off. She was determined to stick around until she was sure Susan was going to be alright.

**_Susan Foreman:_**

**_"But I don't want anything, Susan,"_** Ace insisted softly. Susan stared up at her mistrustfully. Everyone wanted something. Even the lovely little Ace of Spades who could do no wrong. Susan lowered her eyes, looking dimly at the ground. Her head was fuzzy and light and her hearts were speeding rapidly. She swallowed thickly, wishing she could just take an Aspirin and curl up and die. But the last time she had tried to kill herself, she'd regenerated. She'd regenerated into this. A blood-soaked pathetic mess of a creature, afraid of time and her own shadow. Terrified and psychotic, and she hated it.

She jumped when Ace rested her hand on her shoulder. Susan pressed herself against the wall, baring her blood-stained teeth in an effort to scare the other Time Lady away. She didn't want this – she didn't want to be comforted, Susan just wanted to be the way she was. She wanted to be a loving mother, she wanted to be a terrible domestic wife and have David tease her about her inability to be a stereotypical 1950s wife. And instead of feeling a well of sadness or love for those brief wafts of memory, Susan felt the familiar fist of anger. Her eyes paled and a streetlight burst.

She was afraid, and she was angry. It was funny how she could only handle those two emotions. It was all Susan had left – her fear and her anger. The rest of her had been washed away with the time line. And she didn't know what was real, because her mind was able to flawlessly merge her worst nightmares with her waking conscious. She held the cat against her chest, shivering when the cat nestled her head underneath her chin. Had they had a cat? David… had David had a cat? David…

_Who was David?_

Susan flinched as Ace took her hand, her grip on the cat loosening. **_"I'm real,"_** Ace said, and Susan felt the hearts beat beneath her fingers. She licked her lips, a new fear washing over her. Nobody had willingly held this Susan so close, it had always been Susan trying to hold on to people. Why would Ace of all people want Susan's hands on her? How many times had she tried to make Ace feel the pain she felt? The cold and clammy despair? Ace led Susan's hand to the cat now, and Susan's fingers clenched in the fur. **_"She's real, focus on that. I won't be going anywhere till we get you squared away."_**

She withdrew her hand and held it against her chest, shaking her head. It was something Alec had often accused her of… running away when someone cared. "No," she said miserably, shoving the cat away from her. "Just hate me! I just want you to _hate_ me!" Susan snapped. "I don't want your sympathy."

Susan grasped at Ace's shoulder. Arkytior felt tempted to shake her, to squeeze until blood leaked, to _harm_ her. Her arms trembled as Susan fought against the instinct to harm, to kill. "Just hate me," she pleaded, wrapping her arms around Ace and burying herself in a hug. "And… why has a cat been following me around?" she asked pathetically, mumbling against Ace's shoulder.

"Just hate me," Ace held her arms out to the side a little when Susan wrapped her arms around her in a hug. At first not knowing how to react and half expecting a knife in the back from Susan, but when that didn't happen Ace wrapped her arms around the older woman slowly returning the hug.

"But, I don't hate you." Ace really had no choice to lie; well it wasn't really a lie, because she didn't really hate Susan in the sense of the word "hate" they'd just always been on opposite sides of everything they'd gotten throw into together, causing Ace to develop a strong dislike for the woman.

_"And… why has a cat been following me around?"_ This caused Ace to laugh a little, "Susan, out of all the species that have lived, will live on this planet cats have got to be the most intelligent and most intuitive." she pulled away holding Susan a little at arm's length but not letting her go. "Come on, let's go get you cleaned up." she looked down at their new four legged friend "You can come too fluffy." Ace wanted to keep the cat around there was still something about their little friend that she couldn't quiet put her finger on just yet.

**_Raya:_**

Raya flicked her tail, landing on her paws. She felt a little hurt that Susan had that sort of reaction. However, giving the poor woman's condition, she let it be.

_"And… why has a cat been following me around?" This caused Ace to laugh a little, "Susan, out of all the species that have lived, will live on this planet cats have got to be the most intelligent and most intuitive." she pulled away holding Susan a little at arm's length but not letting her go._

Raya nodded in slight agreement, before realizing that she really shouldn't agree. Considering she wasn't really a cat, just a half morph in the form of a cat. So it really didn't count.

_"Come on, let's go get you cleaned up." she looked down at their new four legged friend "You can come too fluffy." Ace wanted to keep the cat around there was still something about their little friend that she couldn't quiet put her finger on just yet.  
_  
Raya looked up at Ace and mewed, ready to follow her where-ever. She moved to her leg, purring as she rubbed up against it. Sometimes, she had way too much fun acting like a cat.

**_Susan Foreman:_**

**_"But, I don't hate you,"_** Ace insisted. Susan shook her head stubbornly, because there was no way that Ace of Spades didn't hate her. It wasn't that Susan wanted people to hate her, but it seemed to her as though it were the only thing she's good at. Arkytior was skilled at making enemies. Still, she clutched Ace's shoulder. It was no wonder her grandfather liked the woman more – she was patient, she could lie well, and she was brave (or stubborn) enough to stick by Susan despite the self-cannibalism and violence.

Susan sighed, feeling the Time Lady beneath her hands was helping to anchor her. "I don't want you to hate me," she admitted, hating herself for each word. Arkytior hated everyone, even Susan. And Susan didn't want to like anyone because it hurt so badly when they died or when they left her, and it'd be much easier if she could hate everyone. It was what she had Arkytior for. "I…" Her teeth clamped on her lips to keep from spewing any more nonsense.

**_"Susan, out of all the species that have lived, will live on this planet cats have got to be the most intelligent and most intuitive,"_** Ace told her. Susan watched the cat nod, then abruptly stop. The critter didn't seem to be intelligent, in Susan's opinion, but she wasn't one to ignore the intuitiveness. Why would someone or somecat stick willingly around Susan? She was dangerous even on her good days, and she'd just electrocuted several unfortunate people.

Yet more deaths to add to her alarmingly increasing list.

A swell of panic rose in her chest as Ace pulled away. She tried to lean forward and reattach herself to Ace, but the woman held her at arm's length. "Ace…?" she asked, wounded that the woman wasn't letting her cling. Get cleaned up? She looked down at herself and winced. She was covered in blood, tears, and her feet had bile on them. "My apartment…" she said, picking herself up unsteadily and watching as the cat rubbed against Ace. She stepped back nervously.

She still didn't like the engine noise the cat made. "My apartment is… is somewhere around here," Susan muttered, stumbling out of the alley. The world looked so unfamiliar to her, and she was positive it was because she was hallucinating again. She kept her eyes trained on the ground, trying not to appear scared in front of Ace and unsure for the cat. She hated the hallucinations more than anything else.

Susan fumbled with her dress pockets as she pulled out her key shakily. It would be the first time she had guests since she'd electrocuted her grandfather. She'd wanted to forgive him so badly, but it was too late for that now. She was very much past saving, she figured. She pushed opened the apartment door and shuffled inside. She was immediately tempted to go to her normal hiding place under the bed and wait for something to happen, but she couldn't.

The mirrors were taken from the wall and shattered. The clocks had been beaten with a hammer and taken from the wall. There were bloody footprints and sometimes pools of it. Susan would cut her stomach, her legs, her arms. She liked the way the blood felt and tasted. She wouldn't kill herself, unfortunately.

The last time she had tried to commit suicide she'd regenerated by instinct.

"I have clothes," she told the cat quietly. "Dresses, mainly." She walked to her bedroom and opened the door, pulling out a towel and a dress. The bed was still thrown against the wall from the Marid kidnapping her in the War. She hung a blanket from it and used it to crawl inside and hide. There were various weapons, but she couldn't use any of them to save her life. She could only rely on Arkytior's instinct for survival.

She wiped her eye, smearing the blood across her face. "I hate water," she admitted quietly. "I'm…" _scaredofit_. But who was scared of water? Too scared to wash the filth and blood and tears off? She held the towel to her chest nervously, her head beginning to swim again. Sometimes her mind moved backwards, and she could remember and see everyone who wasn't there but their faces were melted because she couldn't remember them. "I'm okay. I'm fine. I don't need help."

**_Raya:_**

Raya trotted along behind Ace and Susan, a little anxious. This woman obviously needed help. Like one of those specialized 'hug myself' jackets that crazy people in movies wear.. And Raya wished there was something she could do to help other than purr and be adorable. But as a cat, other that scratching or biting, what else was there? And what was even more annoying is that as a cat, communication skills were sorely lacking.

When they got to the apartment, Raya sheepishly looked around and sat, looking up at ace with a soft 'meow' as if to ask "Okay... now what?"

**_"I have clothes,"_**_ she told the cat quietly. __**"Dresses, mainly."**_

Raya nodded and stepped aside as Susan got a towel and dress from her room. At least she seemed to know that she wasn't a normal cat. Actually, she seemed to know she could change, well that made things rather simple. At least, as simple as they could be, when dealing with a slightly crazed woman.

**_"I hate water,"_**_ Susan remarked, __**"I'm.."**_

The cat only nodded, to be perfectly honest, Raya didn't care much for water either. However, it depended on the type of water, and it's location. For example, Raya could handle a shower or bath, those were simple. A lake or Ocean, or pool... those were a completely different matter.

**_"I'm okay. I'm fine. I don't need help."_**_ Susan explained softly before going into the bathroom._

**_"Ok, I'll be right here."_** Ace leaned on the wall before sliding down. **_"Fluffy, I might have to call in reinforcements on this one."_**

Raya took the time she had when Ace closed her eyes to actually change back into her normal everyday form. Then quickly slipped on a dress Susan had in her closet. She had no intention to leave with it, in fact, when she had to leave, she would just change back into a cat. Simple as that.

"You're telling me." Raya agreed with Ace's sudden realization, then added. "I'm Raya, also Fluffy.. considering you've been calling me that for a bit now."


	3. Chapter 3

**_Susan Foreman:_**

Susan watched Ace for a moment more. She was torn between thanking Ace for not leaving her _– and thank Ace of Spades?_ her mind snarled – or demanding that she and the not-cat get the hell out of her apartment. Instead, she remained quiet, grabbed her towel and her clothes, and made her way inside the bathroom. She swallowed thickly as she peeled the dirty clothes off her. Why on Earth would Ace of Spades – of all people in this entire _universe_ – stick around Arkytior? They hated each other, and it was certainly no secret. _Everyone_ hated her, but that was okay with Susan. It was better that way.

And she wasn't even going to ask why there was a shape-shifting _cat_ following them. Of course, even a Time Lady out of her mind could tell that the cat wasn't a cat. The shape-shifting was the first clue, and the stubborn attitude and intelligence indicated a humanoid intelligence. Susan supposed she could be wrong, but the fact the cat had nodded when she'd mentioned dresses made Susan feel a trifle better about her deduction skills. She sighed, and glanced towards the door. It was… strange to have her enemy and a total stranger care for her.

Arkytior locked the bathroom door. There was a persistent fear that shook her – what if they were just figments of her imagination? Very real ones…? What if her entire life was a fantasy? She couldn't remember any of it. She remembered being abandoned, she remembered death, and she could remember pain. She wished she wasn't too proud to ask for help, because she wanted to stop feeling the hatred and the pain and the fear. She unwrapped the bandage from her arm, revealing the raw skin. She felt a curl of disgust in her stomach.

"It's only water," she told herself quietly, running the water sheepishly. She stuck her foot in the shower hesitantly, and then the rest of her. The warm water washed away copious amounts of dirt and blood, and she winced. The gash in her leg was more painful than she'd first realized. She looked down at her body and felt revolted. Cuts littered her body, but she could only be sure that she was real if she felt the pain and that was the only way to do it. Her arm was still raw and nasty from the vortex manipulator. She leaned down, running her fingers over the flesh on her leg. "Why did you do that?"

"Shut up," she snarled, running her fingernails over the skin on her arm. Susan whimpered and turned off the water, stumbling out of the shower. Her foot slipped and she nearly gave herself a concussion to add to the list of injuries. She caught herself on the sink, and muttered something about how she should have let the internal bleeding take her. She'd only regenerate… right? Would she? She didn't even exist anymore, so why would she regenerate?

She didn't _want_ to. The last time she regenerated, she'd been left with only hatred and fear.

Susan pulled her clothes on and reached into her medicine cabinet to get the bandages for her arm and leg. It was empty, and Susan stared down at the bandage in the trash bin, wondering just how long ago she had changed it. She unlocked the door, her fingers trembling as she held the towel to her chest. She didn't like this dress – it showed too many of her bruises and cuts, and the burn on her arm and the new chunk of flesh missing from her leg were too visible.

**_Ace:_**

_"You're telling me." __Raya agreed with Ace's sudden realization, then added. __"I'm Raya, also Fluffy.. considering you've been calling me that for a bit now."_ Ace opened her eyes with a snap when she heard the girl speaking expecting to see the cat there…just talking to her and instead meeting eyes with a girl in one of Susans dresses instead "Heh, that's a new one. Well, it's nice to meet you Raya, given the circumstances."

She sighed a little looking at the bathroom door then back to Raya "From what I understand she wasn't always like this." she wasn't trying to make excuses for Susan "Things…happened I guess would be the best choice of words and it left some..." Ace tried to think of a way to put it delicately, she decided to go with a metaphor that fit the nickname that Susan had always called her "It left her one card short of a deck."

"There is though, maybe one person who could help her." Ace took a deep breath, she'd been compiling all that had happened in her head the second she'd taken a step into the apartment, all she had seen of Susan including what had happened that had brought all of it to her attention. Maybe, if she'd had proper Time Lord training it'd be easier but she hadn't so she'd have to wing it. Mentally she pictured a send button with The Doctors name attached to it and hit it "If that does work and he does show up she is not gonna be happy."

Ace realized Raya probably thought she was as crazy as Susan right now so she decided to change the subject "So, Ms. Raya tell me about yourself." she smiled.

**_The Eighth Doctor:_**

The Doctor had idly been trailing his fingers along the spines of the vast myriad of books that rested upon the shelves on his library. He'd read them all. A dozen times over, each. His TARDIS was empty, save for himself. And while the peace and quiet was a rare treat, after a while it became frightfully dull. If something didn't happen soon, The Doctor feared he might verge on madness. He couldn't find a single book that sparked his interest. He closed his eyes with a slow drawn out sigh as he left the library to try and find _something_ to keep his mind from musing over his tedious boredom.

He wandered through the corridors of the TARDIS, his fingers lightly tracing the cool walls as he tried to find something to focus his absentminded thoughts on. He came to the console and casually sat on it and looked to his waist coat. He wasn't sure why but something was tugging at him to check his psychic paper. His long fingers reached in to pluck the strange bit of paper from his pocket and looked at it.. He arched a brow and eyed it, rather critically. **"Susan's in trouble, we need you... Ace"** Well, it was undeniably a plea for help but that was certainly the most cryptic plea he'd ever received.

There were no coordinates or time lines to follow so all he could do was hope the TARDIS would handle the rest. She was a reliable old girl, if not a bit temperamental, but she always got him where he needed to be. **"Well.. I leave it to you, Old Girl.."** and threw the switch to send the TARDIS on it's way..

* * *

It had been a less than smooth ride and he'd nearly fallen twice as the TARDIS stampeded through the vortex, leaving The Doctor feeling much like a Rag-doll. He ran his fingers through his hair to sweep the slightly curled locks out of his eyes. His fingers stopped when they found a particularly thin patch. The Doctor's hair was thinning. Stress was the main culprit. He drew in a long breath before letting go of a ragged sigh. The last time he could clearly remember seeing Susan... His Great Grandson... "Alex..." he found himself murmuring. He couldn't even bring himself to think of it. He remembered, but he wished it was something that he could forget.. Not because it wasn't important. But it was just too painful.

Susan was not going to be pleased to see him and The Doctor was all too aware of this fact. But just how volatile her mind had become, he was sadly unaware and greatly unprepared for. He stepped out of the TARDIS and locked the doors behind himself and found himself looking at an apartment complex. He couldn't blame Ace for such an incomplete message. It wasn't as though the poor girl has the training to required for something so elaborate as telepathic conveyance. But he found himself smirking, admittedly impressed. At least she'd reached him.

He began towards the complex...

**_Raya:_**

**_"Heh, that's a new one. Well, it's nice to meet you Raya, given the circumstances."_**

Raya smiled playfully at Ace, "It's nice to meet you too." She leaned against the closest wall. At least she wasn't getting into more trouble, or rather she hoped she wasn't.

Then Ace spoke up. **_"From what I understand she wasn't always like this. Things…happened I guess would be the best choice of words and it left some..." _**

She nodded, listening as the young woman tried to explain why Susan was the way she is.

**_"It left her one card short of a deck."_**

"There is though, maybe one person who could help her." 

"Then why don't we call up that person?" Raya asked, wondering why she hadn't done that earlier.

**_"If that does work and he does show up she is not gonna be happy."_**

Now this was just confusing, probably more confusing than her changing from a cat to her normal form. However, that in consideration, it wasn't all that confusing. "Why?" Raya had this odd feeling that she might be asking that a bit. Along with other annoying curious question.

Then! Ace decided to change the subject, directing the topic to her. **_"So, Ms. Raya tell me about yourself."  
_**  
Raya had to blink a couple times, before smiling back at her. "Well what would you like to know?" She grinned, before continuing with an actual reply. "Let's see... I'm a morph. Well half morph. I was born on Earth, placed in an orphanage, lived in a old bunker for about seven years. Then got rescued by my detective. I have a knack for hacking, and for sticky bombs."

She had summarized her life in the most basic way possible. Though she conveniently left out the parts of her galactic travels. After all, she didn't want to talk to much about herself. "What about you Ms. Ace?"

**_Susan Foreman:_**

As soon as she left the bathroom, she realized something was desperately wrong. Susan stared at the cat-lady and Ace who were both sitting against her wall. "What did you do?" she demanded, feeling her stomach turn. She knew this feeling. Her legs shook and she grabbed a wall to support herself. Arkytior was screaming within her mind, writhing in pain and Susan felt like doing much the same. She leaned against the wall, horrified. "What have you _done_?" she demanded, glaring at Ace. She couldn't put her finger on it yet, but… but she had done something. Something was wrong, and Susan could feel it in her bones.

And then the noise – her grandfather's TARDIS made a very distinctive noise. Her hand covered her mouth immediately and she retched, the vortex radiation crashing into her body again. She was already being poisoned by it – the TARDIS just brought in another large dose. It was going to kill her. Susan glared at Ace. "I _trusted_ you! I 1trusted you and you betrayed me! Why did you… he can't… no!" Arkytior snapped, her eyes paling to the milky-white. Objects crashed against her front door, trying to barricade him out.

Unfortunately, her furniture was rather… lacking in numbers, so all she could really do was put her table and a chair against it. She fell to her knees, her shoulders tensing as she glared angrily at Ace. She felt the TARDIS try to communicate with her. It always tried – ever since she was still traveling with him. Always trying to nurture her. She scowled and covered her ears. "Stop that! Stop it! It hurts! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!" she whimpered.

She could hear him approaching. He was carrying all that radiation, and it was making her sick. It was tearing her apart. She retched again, blood spilling messily over her lips. She crawled to the fort she'd made from her bed. She curled under it, trying to be as quiet as possible. Maybe Ace and Cat-lady wouldn't tell him where she was. Maybe he wouldn't be able to find her.

Her eyes returned to blue and Susan sobbed, grabbing her feet and putting her chin on her knees, still coughing up blood. "He's killing me. That's what he wants, isn't it? It's what he's always wanted. To kill me, and to kill… to kill… t-the boy… with the Daleks. I don't… the boy was important to me, I think…" Susan muttered, peering out of her fort pensively. "It's tearing me apart."

**_Ace:_**

_"Well what would you like to know?" She grinned, before continuing with an actual reply. "Let's see... I'm a morph. Well half morph. I was born on Earth, placed in an orphanage, lived in a old bunker for about seven years. Then got rescued by my detective. I have a knack for hacking, and for sticky bombs."_ She sat and listened to Raya not being able to keep from smileing when she heard the bit about sticky bombs "A morph huh, can't say I've ever met one like you." well, that wasn't entirely true there was that girl during the whole looking glass incident. The sticky bombs intrigued her greatly she'd have to remember to get Raya to show her how to make them later

_"What about you Ms. Ace?"_Ace smirked a little "Just Ace, please." heh where to start "I was born on earth also, human originally, not so much anymore. Got swept up in a time storm that brought me to this planet called Iceworld, got a job as a waitress," she hooked a thumb towards the bathroom door "That's where I ran into her grandfather." she stopped for a minute thinking back on old times but left out the clarification on the originally human bit mostly because she herself didn't really know how to explain it "Anyway, been traveling ever since."

She started to say something else but stopped when Susan spoke "What did you do? What have you done?" Ace slowly stood and held up her hands in as much an unthreatening manner as she could manage "Easy Susan, Susan. I can't help you but The Doctor can he'd know more about Timelord mental stability then anyone." she took a single step towards Susan making sure to keep herself where if Susan was going to attack someone it wouldn't be Raya, she hoped.

And then she heard it, that familiar wheeze of the TARDIS _"I trusted you! I trusted you and you betrayed me! Why did you… he can't… no!"_ the situation seemed to Ace to be quickly spiraling out of control faster than she had anticipated "Because I think he can help you better than I ever could!"

When the Arkytior side of Susan barricaded the door it felt like someone hit Ace in the chest with a sledgehammer "Susan, stop, listen to me." she stumbled back a little the heart palpitations making it slightly hard to breathe she took a thankful gasp of air after Susan crawled behind her little make shift fort.

_"He's killing me. That's what he wants, isn't it? It's what he's always wanted. To kill me, and to kill… to kill… t-the boy… with the Daleks. I don't… the boy was important to me, I think_…"_Susan muttered, peering out of her fort pensively.__"It's tearing me apart."_"Raya, could you clear the door?" she looked at Raya, not even trying to hide the look on her face that she was glad that the other woman was there if had just been the two of them Ace wasn't sure they'd of made it even this far. Slowly she moved to the opening of the fort.

_"Well what would you like to know?" She grinned, before continuing with an actual reply. "Let's see... I'm a morph. Well half morph. I was born on Earth, placed in an orphanage, lived in a old bunker for about seven years. Then got rescued by my detective. I have a knack for hacking, and for sticky bombs."_ She sat and listened to Raya not being able to keep from smileing when she heard the bit about sticky bombs "A morph huh, can't say I've ever met one like you." well, that wasn't entirely true there was that girl during the whole looking glass incident. The sticky bombs intrigued her greatly she'd have to remember to get Raya to show her how to make them later

_"What about you Ms. Ace?""_ Ace smirked a little "Just Ace, please." heh where to start "I was born on earth also, human originally, not so much anymore. Got swept up in a time storm that brought me to this planet called Iceworld, got a job as a waitress," she hooked a thumb towards the bathroom door "That's where I ran into her grandfather." she stopped for a minute thinking back on old times but left out the clarification on the originally human bit mostly because she herself didn't really know how to explain it "Anyway, been traveling ever since."

She started to say something else but stopped when Susan spoke _"__What did you do? What have you done?"_ Ace slowly stood and held up her hands in as much an unthreatening manner as she could manage "Easy Susan, Susan. I can't help you but The Doctor can he'd know more about Timelord mental stability then anyone." she took a single step towards Susan making sure to keep herself where if Susan was going to attack someone it wouldn't be Raya, she hoped.

And then she heard it, that familiar wheeze of the TARDIS _"__I trusted you! I trusted you and you betrayed me! Why did you… he can't… no!"_ the situation seemed to Ace to be quickly spiraling out of control faster than she had anticipated "Because I think he can help you better than I ever could!"

When the Arkytior side of Susan barricaded the door it felt like someone hit Ace in the chest with a sledgehammer "Susan, stop, listen to me." she stumbled back a little the heart palpitations making it slightly hard to breathe she took a thankful gasp of air after Susan crawled behind her little make shift fort.

_"__He's killing me. That's what he wants, isn't it? It's what he's always wanted. To kill me, and to kill… to kill… t-the boy… with the Daleks. I don't… the boy was important to me, I think…" Susan muttered, peering out of her fort pensively. "It's tearing me apart."_ "Raya, could you clear the door?" she looked at Raya, not even trying to hide the look on her face that she was glad that the other woman was there if had just been the two of them Ace wasn't sure they'd of made it even this far. Slowly she moved to the opening of the fort.

Read more: thread/343/field-open?page=2#ixzz2nEX8BxB5


	4. Chapter 4

**The Eighth Doctor:**

The Doctor could feel something was different. Like when the pressure changes before it rains. **"Susan, No.."** he muttered as his feet quickened from a light jog to a full run, using the slight disturbance as a means to pinpoint where he needed to be. His mind was racing, wondering if he was too late to help her. Would she let him help her? When last they met, She'd been so angry with him, verging on unstable. Had she really fallen so far? He then scolded himself "**Her time line has been obliterated, you fool. How would you react? Would it be so different if your life was slipping away with every tick of the clock?"** He let out a slow and drawn out sigh as he hand came to rest on the handle of the door. He wasn't sure why, but he'd half expected it to be hot to the touch or electrocute him.

When he managed to get the door open, the side before him looked like something you would see in what humans called a Horror Flick. Shattered glass and mirror shards littered the floor and gently crunched beneath his feet. The smashed clocks, with their gears littering the floor made his frown deepen. But what had him reeling with worry were the spatters of blood on the floors and walls and an alarmingly vast assortment of blades scattered around the apartment, covered in blood. **"Susan.. What have you done, child?"**

He followed the unnerving sensation in his stomach and found the bedroom. That was where he found Ace, looking worried but resolute as ever, a strange young woman whom, as far as he could gather from first glass, she was only partially human. But they were not his main concern. **"Susan. Susan, come on. Dont do this. Follow my voice, love"** Trying to coax her from her fortification. He knew better than to reach for her. That was like reaching one's arm into a viper's hole.

**_Raya:_**

**_"A morph huh, can't say I've ever met one like you."_** Raya beamed upon hearing that, and was very tempted to say how she's one of a kind. However, she didn't want to sound full of herself.

"What about you Ms. Ace?" Raya asked, mainly out of pure curiosity.

**_"Just Ace, please."_**

"Alright. What about you, Ace?" Raya tried again, waiting for Ace to continue.

**_"I was born on earth also, human originally, not so much anymore. Got swept up in a time storm that brought me to this planet called Iceworld, got a job as a waitress,"_** Ace started, as Raya listened patiently. **_"That's where I ran into her grandfather." she stopped for a minute thinking back on old times but left out the clarification on the originally human bit mostly because she herself didn't really know how to explain it "Anyway, been traveling ever since."_**

She was just about to ask who Susan's grandfather was when Susan came out of the bathroom, staring at her and Ace. "How're you feeling-" She started to ask, but Susan decided to speak first.

"What did you do?" Susan demanded, as she suddenly leaned against the wall. Then she glared at Ace before continuing. "What have you done?"

Before Raya could even ask what Susan meant, Ace seemed to already have an idea. Also she was already attempting to calm Susan down. **_"Easy Susan, Susan. I can't help you but The Doctor can he'd know more about Timelord mental stability then anyone."  
_**  
Wait... The Doctor? She knew that name, he had been one of the first Timelord's she had met. Raya also recalled his companion getting covered in sweet caramel, from one of her own caramel land mines. Suddenly she heard the sound of the TARDIS, and the sudden feeling of being knock down just as a bit of furniture moved in front of the door. It was then that she felt a bit nervous about where she was.

**_"I trusted you! I trusted you and you betrayed me! Why did you… he can't… no!"_**

**_"Because I think he can help you better than I ever could!"_**

Raya was surprised to see how fast the whole situation was turning. In fact, she wasn't sure what she was suppose to do. She didn't even why she tagged along, a good guess would've been to make sure Susan wasn't alone. Seeing as how the poor woman was reacting.

**_"Stop that! Stop it! It hurts! It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"_** _Susan had placed her hands over her ears as if trying to block out some noise only she could hear._

"What hurts?" Raya asked, trying to at least help out in some way. She wished she could ease the pain that Susan must have been feeling. Watching as Susan went to hide under her little fort.

**_"He's killing me. That's what he wants, isn't it? It's what he's always wanted. To kill me, and to kill… to kill… t-the boy… with the Daleks. I don't… the boy was important to me, I think…"_** _Susan muttered, peering out of her fort pensively._ **_"It's tearing me apart."_**

Raya bit her bottom lip, not sure how to respond to Susan's reactions. Luckily, Ace spoke up to her.

**_"Raya, could you clear the door?"_**

"Yeah. Sure." She replied softly, and with a nod. Before heading to clear the table and chair away from the door. Just as she did, the door opened to let in a man with dark curly hair, and in rather interesting dress.

**_"Susan.. What have you done, child?"_**_ He asked quietly, as he started towards the make-shift fort that Susan was currently hiding in. __**"Susan. Susan, come on. Dont do this. Follow my voice, love"**_

"Is she going to be alright?" Raya asked in almost a whisper, the look on her face was absolute worry.

**_Susan Foreman:_**

Susan pressed against the wall, glaring out of her fort as Ace crouched in the opening of the fort. She could him walking closer and closer, and she could hear the Cat-lady moving the furniture. He'd be here soon, and there was nowhere she could hide. Ace had betrayed her. She stared at the other Time Lady, feeling wounded. She wished that she were back in the alley, because no one cared for her in the alley. They would have let her die, and they wouldn't have called him.

**_…Timelord mental stability…_**

She wasn't crazy. She wasn't crazy. Susan swallowed thickly, wishing she could just get the courage to launch herself at Ace. If she could hurt Ace, then her grandfather would be distracted playing hero. She moved forward, the knife in her hand. But… but Ace had been so kind. She looked down at the knife, and then at Ace. She let it drop to the ground. Arkytior cursed at her silently. When did she start to care who she hurt? She'd murdered strangers – gotten inside their heads and whispered thoughts of suicide, convinced them to jump.

He was too close. She buried herself away from him, away from his footsteps and away from Ace. She wanted desperately to make them leave. Because she was fine. She could handle this on her own. It was only death – she'd been through it once before. Only this time, it would be permanent. She heard the door open, and she retched again, feeling the powerful radiation from him. Couldn't he understand that he was killing her? **_"Susan… What have you done, child?"_**

"Please, Ace," she whispered frantically, crawling a bit closer to Ace. "Please make him leave! I'm scared, please, please. He's only going to kill me," Susan said, whimpering as she felt him enter her bedroom. She didn't have to see him to feel his presence. She scuttled back to the wall, fear coursing through her veins. Arkytior was fighting desperately with her.

**_"Susan. Susan, come on. Don't do this. Follow my voice, love."_**

It was the voice of the gentle one. She could remember his soft hands from her previous incarnation, from Susan, because he'd held her. Why? Al… Ale…? Something with a Dalek, right? He had killed that boy, hadn't he? That boy had been precious to her. Al or Ale.

**_"Is she going to be alright?"_**

Susan twitched as she heard the Cat-lady ask about her health. She did not need pity - whether it be from a stranger or from the man who had raised her. Anger replaced with fear as Arkytior snapped in control. The bed slammed against the opposite wall and she stood, covered in blood and bruises. Her eyes were the pale white-blue instead of Susan's dark blue.

"Get out."

The window burst, the glass hovering in the air above the Doctor. Her fists clenched and she bared her teeth, taking a clumsy step forward. Her legs were trembling violently underneath her weight, but Arkytior remained standing on pure stubborn willpower alone. "Just leave us alone! We don't need you! We don't need any of you! I'm not crazy!" she said, the glass shards burying themselves in the wall behind the Doctor.

She clutched her hair as her legs gave out. She wiped blood stubbornly from her lips, not wanting the Doctor to realize by how little of a strand she was holding on. Her body screaming and her mind was tearing apart, his gentle face was beginning to split apart, and she could see a monster trying to rip out of him. She stared up at him, terrified. She blinked rapidly, trying to stand up.

"I can make tea. I can be a good hostess. Tea," she said calmly, crossing over to the Doctor. She patted his cheek, spreading her blood on him. "I hate you. Do you take sugar in your tea? I don't have sugar or tea," Susan said, dropping her hands to her side. "I don't… don't remember who I am. I don't remember why I cry when I hear the name David. I don't know why I hate you, but I do. You disgust me, whoever you are. Sugar with your tea, then?"

**_Ace:_**

Ace held out her hand for Susan when she saw her friend…enemy? She didn't really know anymore, crawl a little closer to her "**_Please make him leave! I'm scared, please, please. He's only going to kill me,"_** Ace held her hand steady, not to make any sudden movements and making sure not to lose eye contact with Susan "He will not harm you I can promise you that." she looked over at The Doctor as he came into the room and turned back to Susan scuttle back into the corner

**_"Susan. Susan, come on. Don't do this. Follow my voice, love."_** Ace got up and moved out of the way so The Doctor could be in full view of Susan, walking over to Raya. **_"Is she going to be alright?"_** Ace started to chew on her thumb and shook her head a little not knowing how to answer Raya's question.

What happened next, Ace felt Arkytior take control before the bed was slung against the opposite wall. Whatever had been happening with her hearts when Susan lost it hit her with enough force to almost knock her to her knees but she managed to grab ahold of something to keep from falling only problem was the feeling stayed there this time, she couldn't breathe and when she did manage to it was a strangled wheeze that she was trying desperately to hide.

Finally she dropped down to her knees, it was easier then standing and watched as Susan spread her blood on The Doctors face.


End file.
